India received a note verbale from Bangladesh in connection with an extradition request for Sheikh Hasina, the ousted prime minister of India’s neighbouring country where a caretaker government is in charge, sources said.

“We confirm that we have received a note verbale from the Bangladesh High Commission today in connection with an extradition request. At this time, we have no comment to offer on this matter,” a source said.

A note verbale is an unsigned diplomatic message in third person.

Earlier, today, Bangladesh’s de facto Foreign Minister Touhid Hossain said Dhaka wants Ms Hasina back to face trial. “We have sent a note verbale to the Indian government saying that Bangladesh wants her back here for the judicial process,” Mr Hossain told reporters in Dhaka.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has not commented on the matter.

Ms Hasina, 77, left her country on August 5 following massive protests that toppled her 16-year regime.

The Bangladesh-based International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) has issued arrest warrants for Ms Hasina, former ministers, advisers, and military and civil officials for “crimes against humanity and genocide”.

Bangladesh Home Adviser Jahangir Alam said his office sent a letter to the MEA to allow Ms Hasina’s extradition from India.

“We have sent a letter to the foreign ministry regarding her extradition. The process is currently underway,” he told reporters in response to a query.

Mr Alam said an extradition treaty between Dhaka and New Delhi exists and Ms Hasina could be brought back to Bangladesh under it.

Last month, in an address to the nation on the completion of 100 days of the interim government, Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus said it will seek the extradition of Ms Hasina.

“We must ensure justice in every killing… We will also ask India to send back fallen autocrat Sheikh Hasina,” he said.

Attacks Against Hindus, Other Minorities

Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh have been facing attacks after attacks since Ms Hasina’s ouster. Vice President of ISKCON Kolkata Radharaman Das last week voiced concern, citing an answer in parliament given by Union Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh, who said 2,200 cases of violence have been reported in Bangladesh.

Mr Das also expressed concern over recent attacks on Hindu temples and asked the Christian minority in Bangladesh to be on guard over celebrating Christmas.

“Yesterday or today we came to know that in the last two-three days, three temples have been attacked… We know that now the Christmas holidays are going to be there. The Christian communities have been told that they should celebrate very carefully because there are chances of attacks on them. We hope that the interim government of Bangladesh will provide enough security so that the minorities of Bangladesh can celebrate their festivals without any fear,” Mr Das said.

Mr Singh in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha on Friday said India has taken a “serious” note of these incidents and shared its concern with the Bangladesh government.

He highlighted India’s expectation from the Bangladesh government to take measures to ensure the safety of minorities, and added that the High Commission of India in Dhaka continues to monitor the situation in the neighbouring country.

The husband of the woman who died in the stampede at the premiere of the movie ‘Pushpa 2: The Rise’, says he does not blame Telugu superstar Allu Arjun for the events of December 4 and is ready to withdraw the police case filed in the matter. Bhaskar, whose son is still in coma and admitted in hospital, said he has received full support from the actor regarding the treatment of his son. 

His son, Shri Tej, is a fan of Allu Arjun and it was mainly on his insistence that the family had gone to the event, he told NDTV in an exclusive interview today. The eight-year-old has been in a coma for the last 20 days. He opens his eyes sometimes, but does not yet recognise anyone. “We do not know how long the treatment will take,” he said. 

The producers of ‘Pushpa-2’ have extended a financial assistance of Rs 50 lakh to the family. The cheque was handed over when producer Naveen Yerneni visited Shri Tej today.

His daughter, he said, has not been told of her mother’s death. “We have told her that she has gone to the village. She has no idea about what happened,” he said.

Allu Arjun, Bhaskar said, has been supporting them from Day 2. “We do not want to blame anybody and consider it our bad luck… we were blamed for the arrest but we do not have the strength to fight,” he said.

The actor, who was arrested on December 13, is in a 14-day judicial custody in the case filed by the family. “I am ready to withdraw the case. I was not aware of the arrest and Allu Arjun has nothing to do with the stampede in which my wife passed away,” Bhaskar had said after the arrest.

Allu Arjun has been blamed by many for the stampede at Hyderabad’s Sandhya Theatre, which the state police implied, could have happened due to his presence at the venue. Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has said the actor was present at the spot despite the denial of police permission. 

He had even waved from his car’s sun-roof on his way in and out, holding a roadshow of sorts and triggering a stampede-like situation. Even after learning of the death of the woman, Revathi, the actor did not leave the cinema hall, prompting the police to force him out, the Chief Minister had said.

There is deep sadness in the city – and also anger directed at the government and migrants. 

​There is deep sadness in the city – and also anger directed at the government and migrants.